The reason why people started singing at Christmas time came from the idea that angels sang when they appeared to the shepherds at Bethlehem to announce Jesus Christ's brith.

The meanning of a carol in the present day is much different to the original one. Once a carol was a secular dance which was performed at any time of the year. People danced around in a circle holding hands and singing songs.

The dance reminded onlookers of a coronet so they called it a 'carol'. The name was transferred later on from the dance to the song itself. Carols by the 16th century were sung only at Christmas time. The subject also related to Christmas.

At one stage the Christmas carols were only sung by the bishop and clergy in church. But became popular amongst the public and were soon sung in the streets and other public places.

Carol singers tell the story of the birth of Christ in song during the days leading up to Christmas.